Tax mistakes that could lead to an audit

January 26, 2017 at 2:23 AM CST - Updated August 12 at 10:36 PM

AMARILLO, TX (KFDA) - Whether you accidentally omit information or you slip up on your math, making errors on your tax return will cause the IRS to take a second look. For any tax filer, your worst nightmare would be an audit.

Crystal Wilson with Jackson Hewitt and Dana Finely with H&R Block say there are things that could increase your chances of an audit. For instance, claiming a Home Office Deduction.

"Most people don't realize that this has to be an area that is used exclusively for that business," said Wilson. "It has to be separate from their living space."

"This is just very particular and there are a lot of rules with it," said Finely. "It's questioned a lot and it just has to be correct."

Another red flag? You receive an Earned Income Tax Credit and have no adjusted gross income. These are strictly regulated by the IRS and they're mainly worried about fraud.

"It's mainly generated for the low income families and it's for having kids," said Wilson. "A lot of people are claiming it when they shouldn't."

Another potential pitfall is claiming too many business expenses, something that requires a lot of documentation. It might sound kind of strange but if these numbers look too perfect, the IRS may question it.

"You want to have accurate records, not round numbers," said Wilson.

One of the best things you can do is document everything, which means if you haven't done so already -- you'll need to start collecting paperwork before you file.

"Don't file before you have all of your documents," said Finely. "You can amend later but it better to just wait and have everything ready before you file."

If you see a tax adviser, they typically ask some pretty personal questions to make sure you're able to claim what you want to. They do this to not only protect themselves, but you from the IRS.